Notes

Version française...

Notes

Lucie Renaud

Concours et prix / Competitions and Prizes

• La 8e édition du Concours d'interprétation de musique française (chant et piano) se tiendra en novembre. Des bourses totalisant 10 000 $ seront attribuées aux gagnants, ainsi que des opportunités de stages et de concerts. La date limite d'inscription est le 1er novembre. Info : (514) 684-7287
• La 15e édition du Concours national des jeunes compositeurs de CBC/Radio-Canada sera consacrée à la musique pour piano solo, électroacoustique et la musique de chambre. Le total des prix s'élève à 43 000 $, dont trois premiers prix (un par catégorie) de 5000 $. La date limite d'inscription est fixée au 29 novembre. Info : www.radio-canada.ca/cnjc
• Fiers du succès de l'édition inaugurale du CIMJM, les Jeunesses musicales du Canada préparent leur concours, consacré en 2003 au violon. Prix importants et jury prestigieux seront encore une fois de la partie. La date limite pour soumettre sa candidature est le 14 février 2003. Info : (514) 845-4108
• Également, les JMC recherchent des instrumentistes ou des artistes lyriques pour tourner dans leur réseau national de diffusion et/ou pour participer à différentes séries de concerts. Le dossier des postulants doit parvenir avant le 7 octobre à madame Gisèle Côté. Info : (514) 845-4108
• The Honens International Piano Competition has announced the names of the collaborating musician for the 2003 competition. Since the competition places great emphasis on chamber music, it has engaged cellist Shauna Rolston and soprano Ingrid Attrot to collaborate in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively. The Calgary Philarmonic Orchestra will once again collaborate with the five competition finalists, directed this time by Sir Neville Marriner. Though the competition takes place in Calgary in November 2003, applications for potential competitors are due October 25, 2002. Info: (403) 299-0137
• The Debut Atlantic Royal Bank Award for Musical Excellence recognizes talentend young students (grade twelve and under) who are committed to the study of music. This year the application dedaline is November 30, 2002. Info: www.debutatlantic.ca
• Le quintette de cuivres Impact s'est mérité, le 13 septembre dernier, le Prix Étoiles Galaxie, d'une valeur de 1000 $, pour son concert au jeune public.

Opéra / Opera

• A financial shortfall at the Edmonton Opera has led to the decision to reduce the upcoming season from four productions to three. The opera house finished last season with a deficit of more than $300 000. The Board has decided to cancel the production of Turandot, which was scheduled to be performed in March 2003. "We are confident that in taking this action now, we will be in a situation to return Edmonton Opera to its former position of financial security, enabling it to continue as one of the continent's leading opera companies," said Board Chair Bob Binnendyk.
• Le ténor québécois Benoît Gendron a fait ses débuts à l'Opéra de Nice à la fin de septembre dernier, dans le rôle titre de l'opéra Romép et Juliette de Gounod. Le jeune ténor a déjà remporté le prix Montréal du Concours de musique du Canada et le prix de la meilleure interprétation du Concours de musique française de Montréal.
• Opera Mississauga opens the 2002-2003 season with the North American premiere of Nikola Subic Zrinjski, a traditional Croation national opera by Ivan Zajc. Never before performed in its entirety in North America, the opera is based on the historical account of the death of Nikola Subic Zrinjski in 1566 in resistance to the expansion of the Ottoman Empire.
• Two of Canada's rapidly rising classical singers, soprano Karina Gauvin and baritone Marc Boucher will make important debuts this fall. Mr Boucher sings the role of Zurga in Bizet's Pearl Fishers with the Orquestra Sinfonica del Estado de Mexico on September 27 and 29. Karina Gauvin travels to Scotland to perform and record Barber's Knoxville Summer of 1915 with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under the baton of Marin Alsop. This recording will be her first Naxos release. In 2003, she will make her Carnegie Hall debut singing Bach's B-minor Mass with Peter Schreier. She will sing the title role of Alcina in her debut with Montpelier Opera.

New works

• The Northwest Chamber Orchestra and soloist David Schraeder performed the world premiere on September 21 of Philip Glass' Concerto for Harpsichord and Chamber Orchestra.
• Tan Dun's new, multimedia opera, Tea, premieres October 22 in Tokyo. The opera is said to be a sensual and spiritual journey, yet also a tragic one about discovering tea and love. "Tea integrates the orchestra and the 'organic music' of paper, water, ceramics, and stones, and there are many ways to realize the evocative sounds. You can turn paper into a drum, or you can whistle on it, tear, or crinkle it. In Tea, images are projected onto paper--and the costumes are made from paper too," explained Dun in a recent interview.
• On Septembre 12, Jessye Norman and Vanessa Redgrave joined the Tallis Scholars in the premiere of John Tavener's A tribute to Cavafry.
• As Night Falls on Barjeantane was Richard Danielpour's competition work for the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis on September 13.

Orbituary

• Earle Brown, 75, one of the four composers (along with John Cage, Morton Feldman and Christian Wolff) who comprised America's celebrated, mid-century "New York School", died on July 2. Brown was known especially for his ground-breaking work with graphic "time notations" and "floating" modules of sound inspired by the sculptures of Alexander Calder. He championed the music of young composers, often commissioning new works.

Other News

• The Place des Arts in Montreal inaugurated the newly renovated staircase of Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, which now allows entrances and exits from two sides. The original one-side staircase was not designed to be the principal entrance as it is now. Hopefully work will continue to fix the flickering lighting in the Corbeille and Mezzanine seating levels.
• The National Arts Centre recently held a Round Table Discussion on Philanthropy. Participants included noted benefactor Alberto Vilar. Visit www.scena.org for a transcript of Vilar's speech.